US rail operator Amtrak has picked its team to build the southern approaches of the US$6bn Frederick Douglass Tunnel project in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

The task will be undertaken through a collaboration between Maryland-based contractor Clark Construction and California's Stacy and Witbeck. This marks the initiation of the initial contract within this project phase. The purpose of the tunnel is to replace the aging Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, which dates back to the Civil War era and is plagued by issues such as leaks and gradual subsidence. The Frederick Douglass Tunnel will feature a contemporary twin-bore design, with the aim of accommodating train speeds of up to 160 km/h, thereby enhancing the flow of rail traffic along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor connecting Boston and Washington.